Cages of the lost
by Slade Wilson - Deathstoke
Summary: By: Alexnandru Van Gordon, Insaneiac the Maniac, Victor van Heiring, and Rebel Aquarius: Trapped once, Robin had a hell of a time escaping Slade. But what now when all hope seems lost for the returning apprentice?...
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Cages of the Lost**

By, Insaneiac the Maniac, Rebel Aquarius, Victor Van Heiring and Alexnandru Van Gordon

**A/N: Insaneiac**: Hello everyone. _–Waves at the pretty people-_ How are all the pretty little readers today? All bustling with excitement I suppose?

**Alexnandru Van Gordon**: Hope not… I'm not… Conspiracy! Run while you can. It's--

**Insaneiac**: -_Clamps hand over Alex's mouth-_ Oh quiet you… Not everything is a horrible conspiracy. Anyways, I am here with Alexnandru Van Gordon to introduce this chapter of our new story.

**Alexnandru Van Gordon**: _-Sets of muffled cries-_ (Translation: run while you still can! Anything with Slade in it is bound to be bad… Argh…)

**Insaneiac**: He's joking folks, he's sincerely happy to present this chapter… right Alex? _–Glares evilly-_

**Alexnandru Van Gordon**: Umm…. Yes I am… I think. _–Scared-_ Of course I am!

**Insaneiac**: So sit back, grab a soda, or beer, or whatever it is you people drink, and enjoy.

**Alexnandru Van Gordon**: …What he said.

SUMMARY: Trapped once, Robin had a hell of a time escaping Slade. But what now when all hope seems lost for the returning apprentice?...

DISCLAIMER: None of us own it…now that that's said and done….

CHAPTER ONE: Remembrance

Okay…so maybe he wasn't exactly the best at everything. People called him the Boy Wonder, always expecting him to be some sort of immortal fighting machine. You didn't see someone come up to you after a battle and ask if you were alright unless, of course, it was one of your teammates—the crowds and fleeing civilians automatically assumed you were still in one piece and left you alone. It was…alright, seeing that you never really wanted to land yourself in a hospital, but you wished people would quit thinking nothing could hurt you.

He was hurting right now.

At first he felt nothing as the wind whipped at his back, a hand outstretched forward to catch a branch as he fell down the cliffside. His bo-staff was out and he could have probably rammed it into the rock face to slow his descent and possibly end his fall altogether, but that was gone too. It fell before him and he began wishing that it didn't.

His back hit a branch and it broke beneath him, slowing the fall to a minimal with the addition of new pain. In agony he hit another branch and twisted in the air to now face the ground that was rushing up to meet him. In a last attempt to save himself, he reached out and caught another outstretched branch. His arms were almost pulled from his sockets and the initial jolt was enough to make him dizzy, but even then the branch didn't hold. He fell the next few feet and landed—somehow alive—on top of his bo-staff.

Waiting a moment, he regulated his breathing before pushing up off the long thin metal rod. There would be a bruise on his chest where he landed on it and that would only make matters worse—but what worried him most right now was the fact that it was broken down the center. He could extend it further if the end broke off, but breaking it directly down the center made it utterly useless.

He was screwed.

Standing, his back ached and he paused before hesitantly arching backward to crack it out. That done, he bent to pick up the broken staff and tossed it aside after checking once more for any way it could be of use to him. He would usually have more weapons in his belt, but _He_ made sure to empty it before starting this sick game, a punishment for another small outburst back at his hideout.

Honestly, Robin believed Slade just did it because it was fun for him alone.

This thought reminded him to run.

Taking back off into the damp forest, he quickened his pace with the help of the adrenaline pumping through his beaten body. It was almost numb now…warm in areas of new bruises and cuts and he was becoming dizzy from the exhaustion. It felt like he was running in a nightmare now…

"_You can run…but you can't hide, Robin."_

Oh God.

Robin tried to move faster, maneuvering around tress, fallen branches and upright roots protruding from the wet ground, moistened and muddy thanks to the light drizzle of rain. There had to be a road or something up ahead. All he had to do was outrun him and he could take as long as he needed to get back to them.

He'd have better luck returning from the dead.

Silence followed after when the drizzle of rain lessened to nothing, the gray sky darkening as night approached. Perhaps he would have better luck in the dark, but it sounded as though he were alone…Then again, Slade had a knack for hunting.

Slowing to a halt, he stopped in a small clearing to gain his breath. He had been running non-stop for who-knows-how-long and it didn't seem that he was being pursued. His gut, on the other hand, was twisted with dread and his intuition was kicking in again to tell him to run, but that was near impossible. His left ankle was swelling up, either damaged from the fall or his last battle with Slade before he escaped—he really couldn't tell. There was too much pain to remember much of anything besides.

Then the foot connected with his right side.

Airborne, he flew to the side with the helpful force of Slade's kick, hitting a tree and falling to a knee in the mud. Before he could switch to a defensive mode, the hair on the back of his head was gripped in a powerful fist and the side of his head was rammed into the trunk of the tree beside him. There was a moment's pass for his vision to clear before it came again, this time his body going slack from the swelling pain. Blood pounded in his ears and he saw stars for the longest of times before the fist released him—only to grab his right arm as Slade walked around to the front of him. When the man twisted his own body, Robin was brought up onto his back—before flying across the clearing back into the dark forest. A branch broke as he hit it with his back, twigs and weak roots snapping beneath him as he landed and rolled to a stop.

Lying on his back, he was almost tempted to pretend he was unconscious.

Too late to play dead.

Forcing his eyes open, he pushed up on his hands to sit and stared back the way he came. Same as the time Slade threw him down the cliffside, the man was gone. All was still and silent…nothing disturbing dreary the forest scenery.

He hated it when Slade played games.

He stood, body aching as he moved, and looked down at his black suit, half the chest colored with a copper orange. It was torn and covered in mud…and something red—but at least he was alive. But how long would that be—and why would he care? Death seemed like a far better fate than enduring this again. He would have given anything to gain his freedom…besides the one option Slade left him with.

If it hadn't been for the small spaces between the branches, he would have never heard Slade move forward as they snapped against his running body. Barely in time, Robin dodged to the side of the on-coming fist but discovered the disadvantage of fighting in the forest when he hit yet another tree in the process. Shoulder throbbing, he kicked out at Slade and caught him in the chest, turning and fleeing as fast as he could while he had the chance. But Slade was a man who lived for the hunt and a simple kick wasn't going to keep him back. He was on Robin's tail in an instant, gaining speeding as he maneuvered professionally through the tough terrain.

No use losing him.

Stepping atop a large root protruding from the ground, he jumped up and flipped backward, twisting in the air to land directly behind the predator. Then, before Slade had the time to swing around, he planted a second kick on the small of his back and watched as the villain arched into the blow before falling forward. He gained his balance, however, and whipped around to catch Robin in the jaw with a roundhouse punch.

Seeing stars, the boy stumbled back and fought to stay standing when he almost tripped over something else on the forest floor. His back hit a tree trunk and as he opened his eyes a hand shot out toward his throat, fingers curly into an iron grip around his neck, pulling his forward and slamming him back into the wood. Again he saw stars, either from lack of oxygen or the pounding—he couldn't tell.

There was a moment pause a Slade watched his apprentice slowly fight his way back to consciousness. He wasn't the weak type and that was why he had no better place in the world than at Slade's side.

Lacking air, he couldn't even cough as black dots danced across his vision but the pain seemed less as he was pulled forward and thrown to the ground on his back. A foot stomped on his chest to keep him down and began pressing into him, sore ribs aching under the pressure.

If he was going to kill him, Robin hoped it was soon.

He tried to think straight, tried to remember his friends. They were somewhere safe, he hoped, and possibly even looking for him now—but who would find him here? They had warned him numerous times to try and stick with the group when it came to his obsessive habit of taking down the bad guy solo, and Beast Boy had even attempted to scare him out of the habit.

'_Dude—the guy probably isn't even human!' The changeling exclaimed, waving his arms for emphases. 'He must be some sort of demon from…you know…down there…'_

'_Hell?'_

_A nod._

'_Not likely…'_

Now he was starting to doubt his answer as well. Slade was a demon—a manipulating evil mastermind who knew no end to his madness. He was greedy for power and control over the animate and inanimate alike, going so far as to take possession of living breathing people even when no man or woman in the world had such a right to do so. He thought his word was final, that he would get whatever he wanted—damning anyone who said otherwise. Slade wanted to destroy the innocent and the weak, and master those who could be seen as otherwise—he tried it once before on Robin and even had his shot at Terra before returning to choice number one when he realized letting Robin go so easily was a sign of weakness on the villain's part. That was Robin's victory—escaping such a fate before—but Slade just _had_ to be the last one standing…It was sick and it was most definitely cruel.

"You can try…" Slade began, waiting until Robin could think straight after the small scene of suffocation. "You're always welcome to try, but you should know by now that I will _always_ win…"

He had something to say to that—actually, he had a lot to say to that. But knowing Slade, if he opened his mouth once to protest others would suffer because of it.

Yes, Slade was so keen on picking the right blackmail.

"And I can't understand why…" The man continued, pressing down harder on his chest, a small crunching sound followed by a bit-back cry of agony as a rib snapped. "Why someone as intelligent as you would refuse to see the truth. Shame, shame, Robin…how foolish of you."

Boy did he really want to say something, anything to shut the man up. The beatings and the sparring he could take—but when it came to the lectures he couldn't stand a word. He could imagine Slade as an execution, asking you if you had any last words before he ended you in a final swing. Who knows…maybe he had been at one time or another…

Slade shook his head, that one cold eye sizing up the small figure he was crushing with ease. It was remarkable to even him that a boy like Robin would be his enemy and then his apprentice…who would have ever known… "Stubborn, aren't you? Say something—honestly, tell me what you think about all this."

"About what…" Robin said with difficulty through grinding teeth. The pain was almost unbearable and even more so when Slade pushed down harder from the answer.

"About _this._" The eye narrowed in sick amusement. "You, broken and bruised, suffocating all because you refuse to just shut up and give in. It's quite stupid of you and I'm eager to learn as to why you are persistent in disobeying me when you already know it does you no good."

"Take a guess. It's obvious."

More pressure on his chest and another sickening crunch followed the breaking of a second rib.

"_Humor me_…"

"Freedom, Slade…to help and be free."

"I see…" Slade said. "Robin—like the bird, the balancing piece to your old mentor. He was the fear in the dark and you were the little light of hope. What a novel this would make…But I suppose it would make more of a tragic hero play. After all, you did fail in the end."

"It isn't over until I'm dead."

"Indeed, indeed…" And then Slade laughed; a small amount of the pressure on his chest released. "And I plan to make good use of you before you die, so perhaps your tale will have a few more surprises for the audience. That is, unless you give up on them all…"

No—he would never just abandoned the idea that someone was safe for him. Suicide was not an option and he knew that was the only thing Slade was suggesting. Slade knew he wouldn't ever try such a sinful thing—he was just mocking him further.

He had enough nerve to stay down and keep quiet as Slade looked him over again, probably estimating another punishment of sorts. He must have lived for that sort of thing. He was such a sadistic control freak…

But, you've got to get to know how your enemy thinks before you can defeat him or her. That was something Bruce taught Richard and he wasn't about to fail the man who took him in after his parents died in the circus. But how on earth were supposed to get into Slade's mind? It was basically hate and power intertwined and crisscrossed every which way into the insane mastermind breaking him down. Slade wanted to strip him of his righteousness, honesty and dignity, tear him down until he had no choice but to comply with what he ordered and fulfill each mission without disobedience or sound.

It just wasn't going to happen.

And what exactly did Slade want besides? Of course, he attacked Jump City with the help of Terra and stole technology from high-up companies—but what was he really up to? From what Robin could see, Slade really didn't need anyone to help him destroy a city, and he was good enough of a thief all on his own. What, then, was he aiming for? Something irreplaceable that was lost long ago—or something that he sought for but never attained?

Call him crazy, but maybe his sanity was one of the things on the list. Who could enjoy being Slade besides….Slade?

"You're awfully quiet for someone with such a short fuse…" Slade murmured, eye narrowing. "Cat caught your tongue?"

Robin didn't say anything. He was trying his hardest to ignore the man.

Slade, annoyed by the sign of disrespect, pressed harder than every before, two broken ribs following the first under the increasing pressure. Robin tried his best to remain silent and conscious, but the pain was blinding. The four broken ribs began stabbing inside and he couldn't breathe for the longest of times—only occasionally being able to gasp for breath.

"I thought I told you already, to answer whenever I ask you a question…" The mercenary hissed, enjoying Robin's session of pain. "Must we go through this again?"

The foot pressed harder when no answer came, but how could he say anything? He was having a hard enough time trying to breath, let alone think speak to the man he hated the most.

The dizzy spill of unconsciousness came again, but this time he was brought back by the rush of cold air filling his aching lungs. He coughed from the abrupt action and turned onto his side once the foot was removed entirely. Blood came from his lips, but only a spits worth, covering his hand when he raised it to his mouth. His ribs on the other hand…how was he even still alive?

For that matter, what part of him even wanted to stay alive? Beast Boy had called Slade a demon because he never seemed to die, what about himself. Slade put him through hell on a regular basis, something that should kill any other person, yet Robin still managed to survive, still kept going.

A sharp and very painful jolt brought him out of his train of thought, as Slade delivered a brutal kick to his already damaged ribs, sending the poor and broken teen flying through the forest, and slamming hard into a tree. Another rather loud crack caused Robin to believe he had broken yet another bone, but it turned out only to be a large branch he landed on after hitting the tree. If he was an optimist, who at the time he was far from, he would have sighed a breath of relief.

However, optimism doesn't keep Slade away, and neither does staying in one spot. To Robin's utmost dismay, he couldn't get back to his feet. He still felt his legs; he just could get to a standing position. Aside from the sheer pain, the time he would waste trying to get to his feet would give Slade more than enough time to get in the perfect position to deliver yet another crippling blow, and another lecture. Swallowing his damaged pride, Robin began to crawl away from his position, moving at the fastest speed he could muster, and out of the area Slade would most likely find him. It was darker now, providing Robin with the cover of night, and perhaps Slade wouldn't be able find Robin's all too obvious trail.

It was all wishful thinking, as Robin felt himself bump into something.

"Tsk tsk Robin. My apprentice should not be crawling on the ground like some dog." Slade taunted, with a vicious tone masquerading behind the insult. A rough hand grabbed Robin's hair, and with very little care for his well being, yanked his head up from the ground, forcing Robin to look into Slade's mask, and more important, to force Robin to look up at his master.

Robin, despite the pain he was in, delivered the same masked glare of defiance he always gave Slade. The same look that, with every passing day, got weaker and weaker, even if Robin would never admit. That's the sad thing about hope; it can only last for so long before it's all used up. It can only endure so much before it just fades away. It was something Slade looked forward to greatly. Watching Robin's pathetic sense of hope and righteousness fade away continued to be one of his biggest goals in life.

"Even when you are beaten, even when you have to crawl on your hands and knees Robin, you continue to look at me like that. You know what I want to hear Robin, stop making this so hard on yourself. It takes the fun away from me." Slade droned, before dropping Robin's head back to the ground. "You've already crawled like a dog, and right to me all things considered. Save yourself the trouble and just say it."

Of all the things Robin wanted to do, submitting to Slade was the lowest on his list. Yet what Slade wanted of him was even lower. Robin struggled to lift his head from the muddy forest floor, looking at the metal boots of Slade, and slowly looking up. Slade stood his tallest, a stance made to show just how powerful he was compared to Robin. He did this whenever they were finished sparring, and Robin hated it every time, and he hated it a little more whenever he did it.

And the mask. The single most haunting image in his life. More than anything in his life, robin wanted to see that mask shattered, and lying across the floor of Slade's lair. And beside his broken mask, he wanted to have Slade, broken, beaten, and bleeding being forced to look up at Robin, and submit to him. To force Slade to do the same things he forces upon Robin every day, before finally killing him.

His deepest, darkest, and most sinister desire and his biggest, most disturbing fear was just that.

It would prove everything Slade said to be true, and it would make Robin just as bad as he was. Yet he still wanted nothing more than to see Slade, the figment of his nightmares and the constructor of his cage, to suffer and submit at his feet.

What he had to say was killing him, but the thought of their lives played in Slade's hands was even worse. He might have been down and dying now but soon, the moment Slade slipped up for a second, he would be at his throat like a hound from hell, gnawing away at his throat until the bastard died…As hard as his morals were, nothing would give him more satisfaction than to see him dead…

Maybe he made Robin say it because it had to do with something he lost in the past? Perhaps that was why Slade was such a cold hearted brick-head…perhaps that was what he was searching for still to this day.

"I won't…try it again…"

"Oh, I know you won't." He laughed, amused slightly by Robin's hope to escape it. "I can make sure of that, but that's not what I want to hear. You know what it is and I can assure you that someone else besides you will suffer if I don't hear it soon."

Please God…

He had to swallow his pride. Though all his years of experience, one thing he learned was that pride and close relationships ruined it all. Even this sick-o knew that—that was why he was using it against Robin now. What a sociopath…

"Robin, I'm losing my _patience_." Slade growled. And you know that is quite a rare thing."

"Fine…I'm sorry."

"Sorry, _what_?"

Whatever reason saying it would bring satisfaction to Slade was beyond Robin's understanding, but his life wasn't the only one on the line. It would be a sin to make others suffer due to his pride.

"Sorry…" It was such a bitter word. "…_Father_."

He could tell Slade was smiling. He could feel it under the man's gaze that that was exactly what he wanted to hear, but it was eating Robin alive. His real father…his real mother were both long dead—even though Bruce was his surrogate father, he was more like a brother than anything else. To call Slade his father was a sin on his true father's soul and he could only hope that he couldn't hear him now from up there in heaven.

_I'm so sorry…_He thought. _I should have never left the circus; never became a hero…I should have died with you that day…_

It was the truth. It was the truth and he could never stop wishing for the chance to go back to that faithful day.

"Now, _was that so hard?_ You could have avoided all of this in the beginning if not for you arrogance and pride."

_Go…to…hell…**Slade**…_

Calling him master would have been better. There was no way that Slade was going to fill that position…

No way in Hell…

Then, in a small way to escape the pain as his broken body was lifted swiftly off the ground, he found his mind wandering to how this second capture began…

**-A-**

**Victor Van Heiring:** Usually Rebel would help me with this but I can't seem to find her…_--looking around carefully—_but don't worry. You'll get to see her soon and more of us all. Thank you for reading the first chapter to our challenge story and we hope we can keep you interested long enough to see us at the end. Oh—and special thanks to the sponsor and _'challengee' _of this story, **Slade Wilson – Deathstroke**.

_**Until Again** (I stole this from Alex)_

_**The authors**_


	2. Chapter 2

Cages of the Lost

Alex: -running around frantically AHHHHHHHHH! Run away! RUN AWAY! This is all a conspiracy to--

Insaneiac: I keep telling you, it's not a conspiracy. The colors are, but not this story! DO NOT TRUST THE COLORS!

Alex: blinks O.O...I thought you were trying to stop me?

Insaneiac: Why. It's fun to watch you freak out. Real joy of my life there Alex

Alex: Shut up! -To the people- Run away--stop reading this story before---

Insaneiac: Now I'll stop you. We don't want to scare off our faithful readers now, do we? DO WE?

Alex: scared and confused...I don't know anyone backs up into a wall Keep away! Run people, please! Or else you'll---

Insaneiac: -Gags him with gym socks- There we go, much better. Don't listen to him; he loves his story, don't you? DON'T YOU?

Alex: spits out sock Yuck...fine, whatever...-to people- Just remember that I warned you...

Insaneiac: ...That this is going to be a great story! He heh. Enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER:** No ownership is taken over Teen Titans, their enemies, or anything from the shows or comics. All rights reserved...or something like that...

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The morning slowly creeped up on the sleeping metropolis, revealing it's beauty, it's faults, and in many places, it's seeping corruption. Although Jump City may have been a beautiful place, and in many ways still a suitable place to live, corruption still crept through it's sewers and alleys, steadily growing everyday.

And on top of the majestic and powerful Titan Tower sat the one person who swore, come hell or high water, to clean the town up. Sitting on top of the tower, Robin watched the city, his city, wake to the morning sun. He peered into the city, seeking for someone doing something wrong, just so he can clean the city up a little more. It was the same thing he did every day, in the same manner his father and mentor, had done.

The only difference was, he didn't have to wake up at the break of dawn to avoid the morning rush of his teammates. And even though he considered them precious, he had seen too many horrors in life to die by an idiotic prank by Beast Boy, or get in the crossfire of an argument between Beast Boy and Raven. No, despite its obvious disadvantages, like the very cold breeze that was currently lashing at his face, Robin was safe on the top of his tower.

But even Robin, the Boy Wonder, had one stunning weakness every morning that he could not, for the life of him, put behind him. He could deny everything else, he's made the act of denial a form of art in the tower, but Robin could not ignore the most important thing of all at that very time.

He was hungry. Robin's stomach was growling and cursing, and the boy would only do himself harm to ignore it. The only thing more stubborn then himself was his stomach.

Robin gave a final sigh, before pushing to his feet and walking towards the ceiling hatch. He knew by now Cyborg was up, and was more than sure that because of Cyborg waking up, Beast Boy was up. The two loudest, most destructive people in the tower were up, and without supervision. Robin could only hope they didn't destroy something, like they had the last several times.

As Robin climbed down the ladder into one of the many hallways inside the tower, he fully expected to hear a crash or a bang, or even an irate Beast Boy after losing to Cyborg in another game. It left him unnerve when he heard nothing in the building. Slowly, Robin walked towards the main room of the tower, where he would undoubtedly see Cyborg cooking, or Beast Boy acting like an idiot.

He never made it that far, as a ball came flying out of a hall beside him, and nailed him in the side of the head. Robin was caught completely off guard, and before he could blink, his head bounced off a door he was walking by, and landed on the hard floor.

"DUDE! Are you okay!""

"That's a fowl BB. A FOWL!"

"Dude! I think we knocked Robin out…"

He could hear the voices clearly, but for some odd reason, he couldn't place them. It's not everyday someone gets hit with a ballistic projectile in their own tower, and it still had to register with Robin just what happened. When the sound of a door opened, Robin could only hope for the best.

"Which of you idiots decided to interrupt my meditation?"

That was a voice he could place, with relative ease. Only one person made her opening statement so threatening that it could freeze an inferno.

"My…head…" Robin groaned, opening his eyes again. It hurt like hell, but it was also the surprise that left a distasteful sting in his mind.

"Dude? Are you okay?" Beast Boy replied, looking down at Robin. It had been his best shot of the day, and it just had to end up nailing Robin in the side of the face.

"I'm going to assume this was another one of your…games, Beast Boy." Raven droned, as Robin twitched slightly.

"Beast Boy…what are you doing?" Robin moaned, finally pushing off of the floor. He still couldn't see straight, but when he could, he would wring Beast Boy's neck. It soon clued into him that he would greatly regret asking that question.

"It's a brand new…"

"SUPER COOL…" Cyborg interrupted, deciding it was safe to go near Robin. "Extreme sport…"

"STINKBALL HOCKEY!" Beast boy finished, before Cyborg turned on him.

"HEY! That was my line! You knew that was MY line!"

"Yah! And you stole mine, dude!"

Robin slowly rubbed his throbbing temples, something he was sure Raven was doing as well. It really wasn't helping him that they were screaming at the top of their lungs after delivering a slap shot stinkball to the side of his head.

"Okay, quiet down. First of all, it's not even seven Beast Boy, why would you be playing stink… wait a second." Robin stopped, before taking a long whiff of the air. The stench was ripe enough to kill cattle. "My god! That stinks!"

"I know, we added some extra…"

"Ingredients…" Cyborg interrupted again, Beast Boy shooting him an aggravated glare.

"To the stink." Beast Boy grinned.

"Do I want to know?" Robin droned, as the grin widened. "I'm going to take that as a no, and I'm going to take a shower." Robin replied, choking on his own stench. As he walked away from the pair of hockey stick totting Titans, Robin stumbled to his left, still slightly a little off balance from the impact.

"So friends, what is it that I am suppose to be doing again?" Starfire yelled, from the end of the hall. She was in full goalies gear, looking downright confused. Try as they might, Beast Boy and Cyborg could not hold back there laughter. Even Raven had to chuckle as the young alien stood, garbed in the oversized goalie equipment.

However, the fun and games ended as soon as the alarm went off. Robin stopped in his tracks, sighing painfully as he heard the alarm. He was going to have to go fight crime smelling like a field of rotted cheese and cow manure. _'Lovely'_ Robin quickly turned back and ran towards his teammates, all of which let out a groan as the alarm sounded.

---(Alex: For those of you who don't know what this is—it's a break in time of the story)

Well, maybe he should have stayed back at the tower. Getting hit in the head with sports equipment was one thing, but slamming your head on the side of a close door was another matter altogether. Of course he had been hit in the head numerous times before in battle, but Beast Boy had to have been the one to shoot that shot. There was a buzz in the back of his head all the way to the bank and during the entire time Mumbo made his appearance in the center of the street, a bag of money tossed over one shoulder.

"Oh, the kiddies want to play?" The criminal laughed, head thrown back as they slid together in a group to face him. The surrounding civilians had already head tails, enough space left around for them to dance. "I was going to give you the late show, but I think I could spare a matinee for your bunch."

With that he aimed his wand, a spiral of colourful cloths tied together soaring toward the group. With a bellow of "Titans Go!" they were off into another battle.

Beast Boy, being the slow one, was caught in the rope of handkerchiefs and fell back as it wound around his body. Rolling about on the ground he shifted into the shape of a tiger and then an alligator before he realized the cloth wouldn't give.

"Dude—what's with this stuff?"

Mumbo, dancing aside as an assault of Starfire's bolts rained down on him, began laughing again like a maniac, one hand holding the bag, the other in a tight grip around his wand. "Like it? I bought it from a private supplier."

Robin jumped in front of the man and side kicked him in the gut. The criminal went flying across the street, rolling backward before he came to a halt. "I'm guessing that's where you got the wand too, huh?" The Boy Wonder muttered before charging again, Cyborg to his left and Raven flying above.

Teaming together as the petty crook came to a wobbly stand; Robin tossed a disk with Cyborg's blast for punch and Raven's black magic for the containment of the explosion. Mumbo never saw it coming until it was too late, white eyes widening as the initial hit came to slam him up against the nearest building's brick wall. The actual hit knocked him out, the bag of money falling open before him. Money fluttered in the wind and Starfire caught it before she landed beside him.

"Maybe that was a little…hostile?" Raven asked, pulling back her hood as the gathered around the man.

Cyborg shrugged. "As long as he goes to jail alive, I don't see what's wrong."

"But dudes!" Beast Boy screamed from far behind. "I'm stuck!"

As nice as it was to see him tied up, Cyborg and Raven trudged his way.

"Starfire, take Mumbo to the jail, I'm going to get this back to the bank." Robin sighed. "I'll see you back at the tower once you're done."

She smiled and did as she was told, Robin hauling the heavy bag over his shoulder as he strode back to the bank. Upon entering the bank manager, workers, and customers stood up from where they knelt during the robbery and made haste of their work.

"Ummm…" Robin started staring around. "Isn't someone going to put this away?"

The bank manager, who knew the Titans well from their many saves of the bank, came up to him with a smile, escorted by two younger security guards. These two men took the bag away while the manager handed Robin a package.

Eyeing the object curiously, he raised an eyebrow as he looked to the manager for answers. "Uh…that last time I checked, the post office gave me mail."

"Someone sent this in earlier." The man explained. "Along with a letter, requesting that you open it here."

He was about to ask what the man looked like but the manager was called away by a frantic looking banker. Left with the package, he opened it.

**113**

**turn it on at once**

Blinking…he came up to the nearest till, the key that also came in the small package in his hand. "I…think this is a box number. "He said quietly. She took a look at it and nodded.

"Would you like to open it now, sir?"

"…Alright."

Curiosity peaked; he followed the woman to the vault near the back where the lager safety deposit boxes were kept. Opening number 113, she handed him a laptop.

A…laptop?

---

Getting home without turning the computer on was a hard thing to do. None of the Titans did anything but stare as he strode right to his room and closed the door behind him. Part of him wondered if it was a bomb…but you couldn't exactly make bombs in a laptop…could you…

As the letter instructed, he turned the machine on and a normal welcoming page popped up. On the actual windows' setting there was nothing…but msn and internet.

**Logging on automatically. Please wait. Signing in…**

He barely even touched the mouse pad and it was working on it own. No sooner had it turned on that the computer's only contact popped on for a conversation.

**JohnandMary says: I was wondering what was taking you so long…**

At first he considered shutting off the laptop…but the fact that the stranger was using his parents' names bugged him into answering.

**Robin says: Who are you?**

**JohnandMary says: -laughs- Somehow I expected you to say that first. But, then again, I was hoping for something original form someone of your…personality.**

**Robin says: Still doesn't answer my question.**

**JohnandMary says: Right you are…I'm not going to tell you that for a while, only because I'm fulfilling last wishes, but I will tell you something…I was a close friend to your parents.**

That stopped him hot in his tracks. He didn't know what to say and was almost grateful that the stranger continued instead,

**JohnandMary says: "The Flying Graysons"—who doesn't know about them. How long has it been? You're what—sixteen, fifteen, and that happened when you were…nine?**

**Robin says: …why are you calling?**

**JohnandMary: I told you—old wishes. That, and I'm dying to meet you. It was upsetting to see that Bruce Wayne adopted you before I even heard your parents were dead, otherwise I would have taken you in. John and I go way back…**

**Robin: Why didn't you call before?**

**JohnandMary: Thought you would have been happier with someone like Bruce raising you.**

**Robin: And how did you find out I was Robin?**

**JohnandMary: What is this—twenty questions night? But I guess I deserve this. I should have said something about your parents death a long time ago…Finding out you were Richard Grayson took some detective work, but the mind on that job was a brilliant one. Speaking to you this way…took some time.**

**Robin: And why didn't you speak to me face to face first?**

**JohnandMary: Didn't want you to break my nose or something along the lines of that. I heard you're a bitch when it comes to bad moods.**

He was somewhat upset…but he was plain upset about just about everything since he was nailed in the head that morning. If he had known then what was going to happen later on, he would have ended the conversation in an instant…

**Robin: And why should I talk to you now, especially about something as important as this? Tell me, have you ever lost family before?**

**JohnandMary: Wife and my kids, actually. Well…I believe one is still alive, but I don't quite feel like a father with her off in the world on her own. Trust me, I know how you feel. You want to be a son with your original parents back, and I want to be a father with my wife back—we're both in bad moods.**

That made him think…maybe he should have been nicer to the man. After all, he didn't have to ever call Robin. It wasn't like the law demanded him too…even if he was six years late…

**Robin: So…what now?**

**JohnandMary: What now? Now we pick a date on the calendar and meet up when you have the time. Thinking with your profession in mind that might be far down the road…**

**Robin: …Maybe. But I make due with what I have. If you want to meet I guess the sooner the better. Just tell me—who am I looking for out in this insane world?**

**JohnandMary: Military man with an eye-patch. Trust me—I stick out in the world. If you can make it, meet me out on the East Park Beach tonight around…twelve?**

That late?

**Robin: Why then?**

**JohnandMary: Told you—I'm a military man. I wake up at the crack of dawn for work and by time I take a break the sun is long since gone. But if you're uncomfortable with the time—I mean, you always hear about these creeps drawing kids in over the internet and then kidnapping them to rape or kill or torture when they ask to meet. If you're afraid, that's fine with me.**

Obviously this guy didn't know him too well.

**Robin: The time is fine, just don't be late. I hate tardy people.**

**JohnandMary: An army man tardy? You don't know what they do to you in the military if you're late. Everything in my world is well-timed, long thought-out, and precise so that the exact goal is achieved. You will see me at "exactly" O hundred hours. Not a minute late or early. What about you?**

**Robin: I like to be early. Gives me time to prepare.**

**JohnandMary: For what, an ambush?**

**Robin: Maybe...You have to remember, I know nothing about you.**

**JohnandMary: Then ask something.**

**Robin: …How did you meet my parents?**

**JohnandMary: I was John's neighbor when he was a kid. We grew up together and I came to his wedding and all that jazz. If you have a picture of their wedding, I'm his best man.**

No way…that and Robin didn't have a picture or their wedding. That was one thing he had accidentally left in Gotham and was too stubborn to pick up (having left upset with Bruce). Now he really regretted that.

**Robin: …When was I born?**

**JohnandMary: Ask something harder, boy. You were born the first day of Spring.**

Okay—there was no way in hell just anybody knew that. That was Robin's best kept secret—even Alfred and Bruce had a hell of a time getting that out of him. They had to check his birth certificate up on that and he had that with him now.

**Robin: Alright…Middle name?**

**JohnandMary: After your father—John.**

**Robin: I mean, what was it going to be?**

**JohnandMary: Mary—if you were a girl. That or Ray if you had been a guy and John didn't suit you.**

Hold did this guy know all of that information? Either he had access files to everything in the world (which really only the Justice League and Batman had), or…he really knew them. But Robin couldn't jump to conclusions—he couldn't afford to. If this guy was just some stalked then he'd beat him up and thro whim in jail when they met. If not…then maybe Robin wasn't exactly as alone as he though he was in the world anymore. It was…frightening.

**JohnandMary: Is there anything else you'd like to know or am I starting to freak you out? You'll have to tell me because I can't exactly see your face.**

**Robin: …Why are you really doing this? I mean, if I'm taking up your time then just go.**

**JohnandMary: No—I honestly want to get to know you. Being family-less like you is kind of the connecting point that really made me want to talk to you, get to know you as family or something like that. I only wish I had tried this earlier, but my family died around the same time your mother and father did.**

**Robin: And how did your family die?**

**JohnandMary: Murdered—just like yours.**

…Harsh. But wasn't that the way everyone went now-a-days? Natural causes of death had competition now with homicidal killers. Heart attack? No—you're not that lucky. The insane guy across the street with a shotgun and skinning knife got dibs on you first…

**Robin: I'm sorry to hear that.**

**JohnandMary: -laughs again- Don't be. We've been in the same boat for so long that it's all in the past now.**

**Robin: And have I ever met you before?**

**JohnandMary: Yes, and I think you will recognize me when we meet.**

**Robin: Oh really.**

**JohnandMary: Don't act so smug. You will know me when you see me. It's just been so long that we've meet that you won't really remember until you see me with your own two eyes. But again, if you're afraid I'll understand entirely. This can take as long as you like.**

**Robin: No, I'll just remember to bring my weapons with me.**

**JohnandMary: Ha—you do that. But for now I must leave. Tonight I will see you—yes?**

**Robin: …Yes.**

-Authors-

**Victor:** Exciting—I hope so. Things are heating up again! And I know that this is taking so long to write. You have no idea how hard it is to write a story with three other people…I guess that's why it's called a challenge. And to answer a question of who's writing this (as in typing)…Alex writes most of it but everyone writes what suits this. Today, the lovely beginning part with the game and Robin's eyesight getting blown out goes to Insaneiac the Maniac. (Thunderous applause). Oh—and all those questions answered about Robin are true. We found that out the long, researching, hard way…

_Until again,_

_The Authors_


	3. Chapter 3

**Cages of the Lost**

Insaneiac the Maniac, Rebel Aquarius, Victor Van Heiring and Alexnandru Van Gordon

**Alex**: I've given up trying to warn you guys. The world is on the verge of destruction and I swear to God I smell smoke.

**Victor**: O.o? –eyes cousin- Ignore him.

**Alex**: Yes, leave me in my asphyxiation. Go ahead…read…be free…

**Victor**: We're just down because of the weather, so PLEASE ignore him. And you know what? Robin's suffering begins...This is going to be so much fun…

**Alex:** -.- -frowning- Yeah, yeah—let's just get on with…

CHAPTER THREE: Old friends…

(**Victor:** Sorry. We couldn't decide on a better chapter title, people.)

Yes…

Why did he say that?

After shutting off the computer, he leaned back in his chair and nearly fell back when he wasn't paying attention. He wanted to believe that this person was Slade, but he knew nothing of the man—aside from a missing eye and military status. That sounded like him but…then again, that could be a million other people. What he said about Robin was true, but there was no way in hell the man could have been his father's best man. It was just impossible. It was just…no, he had to use his intuition and prepare for the worst. Slade could have looked up on that information at any time.

He was going to play it safe this time, and the man said nothing about Robin having to go alone…

"So…you want us to come along?" BB inquired, staring out the window. They could see the beach from the tower, but the East Park Beach was around a cliff. It was small and somewhat private, but there was a large open beach house that people chose as a meeting place. If anywhere at all, that was probably where they would find this man.

Cyborg couldn't help but smile. "I think it's a smart idea. Better than him running headlong into danger."

It was an improvement from his…Red-X act and his first encounter with Slade in person. If this was a trap then he was going to be prepared for an ambush.

Cyborg, typing away at the main computer, typed in a couple of codes and started to print something up. Robin, curious, stepped to the printer and took out what appeared to be a picture of a wedding.

"Hey—that's my mom and dad!" He eyed the picture closer, looking to the right of his father. There was his best man, a guy about the same age as his father with short red hair and lively blue eyes. He was smiling…and he looked harmless.

"You said he was your father's best man." Cyborg grinned. "So now we know who we're looking for. If we can't find the guy in the first couple of minutes, we leave immediately."

He nodded. It sounded like a plan but he really wondered who he would find there. Would he find the man, Slade, or someone else entirely? It was just…a little too convenient. Orphaned and taken in by…a darker in spirit man, he would have loved for someone he knew to be with him. He didn't even know his grandparents for goodness sake…and there were days that he wished he was still in the circus.

"So…is it just Cy and me?" Beast Boy asked, lying down on the couch with his hands behind his head. "What about Raven?"

"And Star." Robin added. "They can tag along too."

Cyborg shook his head. "Not Star—or Raven. Star's sick and she looks purple instead of orange. Raven's with her in her room trying to heal her up."

Twitch…"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Beast Boy smiled innocently. "She didn't want you to see her face. I guess she wants to leave a perfect image in your mind…But Raven says she'll be fine tomorrow."

"Perfect imagine…" He growled, starting toward Beast Boy. The changeling yelped and jumped out, dashing into the hallway laughing like a maniac with Robin hot on his heels. "What is with you guys!"

"She's your girlfriend! She's your girlfriend! She's your girlfriend! She's your—_choke!_"

This was going to be a long night…

---

In his room he loaded up his utility belt. Ice disks, explosives, simple birdarangs, and extra bo-staff—times two. It still looked flat and small, but it was heavier. It actually helped with his balance…it made up about a third of his weight anyhow. That's why he never took it off when Cyborg measured to see if he was starving himself. It was still…lower than what it should have been but he was alright. It was just a little stress, nothing big…right?

Then why was he so nervous?

Part of him wanted this man to be exactly what he told Robin earlier that afternoon. But he was already preparing himself for disappointment…It just…wasn't possible.

Hearing from this man brought up old memories, memories of his parents. He was used to thinking about them, but at the thought of lost family his heart suddenly ached and he felt the strong urge to cry. It was so sudden that he almost allowed himself to do it to, but he had to be strong. For his parents, for the people, and for his friends. You just couldn't let the past hold you back.

He sat on the edge of his bed, the clock reading eleven thirty-five p.m. In his hand was the wedding picture, and the only tear he allowed to break free from his eye landed on the center where his parents held each other's hands. They day they fell, the day they died…he died with them. And if only they had allowed for him to act with him, they'd still be together. He could only pray that they were in heaven, still watching him, still guarding.

In reality, they were his only motivation to fight…until he died. He could never give up what he did as a hero—not knowing that there was some person out there who was on the brink of death. He never wanted any child to go through what he had…Not ever…

"Why did you have to leave me…" He asked in silence, folding the picture carefully and slipping it into his belt. "Why couldn't you stay a little longer…"

And then he reminded himself, he never got the chance to say goodbye…

---

It was just about pitch black outside and as windy as hell when the guys left the tower, Robin's and Cyborg's flashlights searching the sand of the beach as they walked toward their destination. Robin's hair kept whipping back and forth in the harsh wind and it felt as though it took forever to get there. The ache in Robin's chest only grew as they sped up faster, making him begin to consider turning back. He had never been so nervous in his entire life before about a simple meeting. He just hoped this wasn't a cruel trick…it would kill him…literally.

Then…there was the beach house. It was like a large veranda, painted white with lamp post lit around it. The roof was made of straw and tables with chairs were to the left, a small shop taking up the right side. A tall silhouetted figure stood on the stairs up into the veranda, body and face hidden from the small amount of lamp light emitted. His hands were in his pockets, back leaning against the railing…he looked casual and relaxed.

Suddenly Cyborg's light went out. He flipped his shoulder light off and Robin, turning to see why while still walking, tripped over something. His flashlight hit the ground and went out, Beast Boy stumbling and falling on top of him. It was amazing the man didn't hear them or turn they're way. He might have seen the flashlights but he was looking out across the sea, back slightly turned toward them.

"What are you doing?" Robin hissed as loud as he could in a whispering voice. "I can't find my flashlight…"

Cyborg lifted Beast Boy off Robin in one quick motion and pulled Robin up by the back on his shirt right after. "Sorry...I just thought maybe BB and I should hide and watch. Besides…there's the beach house…you can see that, can't you?"

He muttered a curse and brushed himself off. "Whatever…but if you're going to hide, at least be quiet about it—and warn us the next time you decide to kill the lights."

"Ya…you blinded me…" Beast Boy said, rubbing his eyes. "Why are there so many dots…"

Shaking his head, he started back off toward the veranda alone. Then he began to wonder what he would say. He and the man had talked about the basics, but what kind of questions was he going to ask? What was Robin going to ask?

..Maybe he'd leave that to the man. After all, he was the one that wanted them to meet. Might as well let him host the conversation…

"Oh—you're here."

Robin, who had been staring at his feet, was startled. He looked up at the man and found himself at the bottom at the short stairs…staring at the man from the pictures. There was the same short red hair, same lively blue eyes, a kind look to his face…and he smiled—much the same way he did in the wedding picture. His skin was a little pale, probably from stress or worry, but his voice suggested a high spirit. It was deep and soft, a father's voice.

The man, eyes scanning Robin, smiled even harder when he stepped aside and made his way to sit at the nearest table. "You look like your father—but your face reminds more of your mother. And you're…really thin. Do you eat?"

Robin didn't smile or frown or dare to move…his mouth was opened slightly, a bit of shock apparent in his face. The man, seeing that he didn't follow, gestured to the chair across from him and then Robin finally moved…still shocked.

What was he supposed to think—supposed to feel? He was still expecting some sort of trick…

"I…eat." He said, but his voice sounded a million miles away. "I just…"

"Worry too much?" The man finished for him, leaning back in a relaxed manner. No one else was there besides them. "I bet—considering your job, I think I'd freak if something went even the least bit wrong. After all, lives are on the line—aren't they?"

"Yeah…" He leaned an elbow on the armrest and then his chin on his fist, eyes staring out at the sea. What was he doing there? Starfire was sick, and what if someone tried to break into somewhere—he'd have to have Beast Boy fly him out to the city and then return for Cyborg so they could help Raven. Maybe he should just cancel and pick somewhere in the city for them to meet—"Why all the way out here?"

"Hm?" The man raised an eyebrow. Perhaps he should have rephrased the question. "What? You mean why did we meet out here on the beach?"

"Yeah…I mean…Why not somewhere in the city?"

"The man laughed. "I'm not much of people person, but when I came to Jump City I saw that you really only went somewhere with your friends. I didn't want people thinking we were related or you were getting hired for some job if they saw us talking."

True. The man wore causal clothes, but they were still something a person would wear to work. Dress pants and a coat hanging off the back of his chair, sleeves of his shirt rolled up to the elbows.

"Aren't you cold?" Robin asked, ignoring the urge to shiver. The wind was really blowing hard.

The man shook his head. "I'm used to the stupid weather. Why? Are you?"

"No…"

"…Alright."

Now it just felt awkward. He didn't know what to say…

"What did you say to your friends?"

"Huh?"

The man grinned. "You're friends. I hope this didn't ruin your schedule."

"Oh—no. They knew I was coming, though."

"Then they should have tagged along. You guys need a break from all that hero stuff. You look like a ghost kid…"

Now he felt stupid for dragging Cyborg and BB along. From what he could tell, this man was harmless. He was muscular and all…but all he wanted to do was talk.

"What's that?"

Robin looked up at the man, then stared over his shoulder. There was a brief light that died out, and then flickered back on…before going out again.

Argh…Cyborg.

"No idea." He lied. "Maybe someone's taking a walk. After all, this beach never closes."

"Huh…" The man stood. "I'm just going to check if they're alright. My light died on the way out here too. I lost it somewhere out on the beach…"

The light flickered back on and then bobbed as 'the person' ran for cover. "Um…probably kids…" Robin sighed. Obviously his team wasn't one for stealth. "I think they like to build bonfires out here."

"Should be careful though…the waves wash up pretty far around now. You'll have to take a different path back to your tower because—guaranteed—the one you took here is going to be submerged pretty soon. Otherwise you'll be trapped."

And he really wanted to see Starfire before he went to bed…

"Soon—as in, really soon?"

The man nodded. "As in…really soon. That's why no one comes here at night…not even kids…"

That would explain why Cyborg made a made dash inland…

Wait—

"You had your friends follow, didn't you?" The man asked, fingers drumming against the tabletop. "There's a huge warning sign not to go on the beach between twelve and three o'clock a.m."

"Then why am I here?" Robin stood and looked down the steps. Sure enough, water was sloshing at the white wood of the first step. If the water was this far up, that meant he'd be cut off from the way back to the tower and the city.

The man laughed. "No one comes here—I don't think you've even been here before. Besides…can't hear screaming from all the way out here over the waves…"

Robin spun around and pulled out his bo-staff, ready in a fighting stance for an attack. But the man didn't move. He sat still with a small grin on his face as he eyed Robin. "Relax, I'm just joking. There's a stairway up the cliff behind the veranda you can take and walk around toward the city. Sorry…that was pretty awful…"

"And how do I know you're not lying?"

He laughed. "Have I lied about anything else?"

Hm…

Then it clicked.

Robin eyes narrowed behind his mask. "Where's your eye patch?"

The man, startled, raised a hand to his right eye without realizing. Then he laughed and lowered his hand. "So…you're not foolish, Robin, are you?" His voice changed… _"And I was so hoping to get this over and done with quickly…"_

"_Slade_…"

He laughed again, this time his voice the same as always. He stood and titled his head to the left, showing a thin line where the mask he wore met skin. It was barely visible…but why hadn't Robin thought of it before? Slade did this before—as an oriental elder…He should have known this entire thing was a trick from the start…

"I can't believe I trusted you…" Robin growled, eyeing Slade cautiously as the man placed his hands behind his back. He wanted to tear the mask off and see what he really looked like…but he honestly wouldn't dare getting that close to him. "What is it now?"

"Same as the first time, Robin. I finish _everything_ I start and I'm nowhere through with you as an apprentice. Now, you can either come quietly or we can drag your poor friends into the fight."

"Dude—" Beast Boy, dropping down as a bird and landing next to Robin, crossed his arms and grinned. "_You_ can either come quietly or we'll gladly drag you down to jail."

"I second that idea…"

Robin turned around. Hopping over the railing was Cyborg, shaking off his wet legs. "Awe man…something's going to be wrong with my circuitry in the morning. Let's just take him down and call it a day."

Slade, shaking his head, returned his attention to Robin. "You honestly believe they're going to save you? That's…pathetic, actually. I expected a bomb or something worse from you."

"_Check_." He reached to his belt, a birdarang between each finger on his right hand, bo-staff gripped tightly in the left. He was ready for hell or high water now…and it seemed that both were literally closing in on him.

"As you wish. But I guarantee—this time there's _no_ escape."

"No need." Beast Boy scoffed. "'cause he ain't gonna get caught."

"Not if we have anything to say about it." Cyborg added.

They're presence only seemed to annoy Slade further. "Then that's not saying much. Do you honestly believe you can stop me? You haven't before—what changes now?"

Robin shrugged. "Luck…I guess. You'll just have to wait and find out."

Deep inside, he was burning with rage. He was fooled again—he was always fooled! There was nothing he could do to outsmart Slade and he was beginning to wonder if having Cyborg and Beast Boy around would make much of a difference. He just couldn't stray from them if he was the hitting Slade. He couldn't let him lure him away anywhere.

"Luck…I see…" Slade held up a hand and snapped a finger. Out from the darkness his robots hoped over the railing around the veranda and surrounded them entirely. "Sorry, boys. This is between me and you're former leader."

He hated it when Slade started assuming things. Made him want to reach out and strangle him…but maybe he should have strangled himself first It was dark—it was secluded—he should have never come—and not to mention he never saw the robots…Slade had it all worked out so perfectly.

God, he was such an idiot… or maybe just a hopeful fool. He wasn't quite sure of which, and at the time his mind was not fixated on that at the slightest. He had one possessive and relentless masked monster and a legion of his specially designed flunkies to knock around and deal with.

For one sprinkle of time, one droplet in the vast pool of infinity, the entire veranda enwrapped in silence. Then at the drop of a pin the battle, the inevitable struggle between the few fighting for good, and the many serving the darkness, began.

In a blink of an eye, a group of robots where scrapped, as Cyborg began covering the rear, avoiding the ugly chance of being surrounded. In a heart beat, the bird-a-rangs were loosed, flying at high speeds towards Slade, only to be deflected by his bo-staff. Before Slade could pull back, a straight jab caught him just under the right shoulder, as Robin leapt into the brawl with his own bo-staff.

Beast Boy grunted rather audibly as a good handful of robots leapt at him, and quickly turned into a gorilla, swatting them away like flies. That was the nice thing about Slade's robotic minions, the usually didn't have a lot of skill to back the fight.

No, they intended to serve as potent decoys instead, something the green changeling would fail to grasp before it was too late. Cyborg leapt from his position into the air, firing another blast of sonic energy into the ground, and catching a good handful of robots in the resulting blast. Cyborg landed heavily on his feet, and quickly jumped from his long range antics to close quarters brawling, grabbing a near by robot and hurling him behind him, sending it crashing into more robots.

Robin, on the other hand, was now back on the defensive as Slade begun unleashing blow after blow against Robin at outrageous speeds. Despite his best efforts, Robin grunted as he felt one blow slip by and catch him square in the jaw, knocking him off his feet. He lifted his bo-staff as soon as he hit the ground, and was rewarding with an echoing crack as his bo-staff shatter into pieces, as the center of the bo-staff took the fullest force of Slade's own attack.

"Tch… I expected more from you Robin. I'm disappointed really." Slade mocked, staring dauntingly at Robin as he kicked up to his feet, and grabbed a pair of rods from his utility belt. Slade may be the master of bo-staff techniques in Jump City, but Robin had a few sneaky tricks behind his belt with his separate rods.

"Don't you DARE lecture me Slade!" Robin growled, charging. He felt himself curse as he saw his initial blows go right by Slade, and felt a hand grab him roughly by the hair on his head, and pulling him off his feet. Slade released the moment Robin's feet left the ground, and was rewarding with a resounding thud as Robin met dirt. It had been more of a move designed to insult Robin, to anger him further, and mostly to put the boy further off his game. He wanted to push him to be more reckless, and much less of a threat.

And it was working quite well. Robin growled menacingly as he pushed back to his feet, and charged again. This time Slade spared no quarter, ducking under Robin's initial swipe, and spinning himself 360 to whip his staff into the small of Robin's back. The blow was harsh and precise, and Robin went flying forward, taking a mouth full of dirt.

A heavy wind swept through the veranda as Robin slowly pushed himself to his feet, his face batted by the cold and unforgiving winds. Slade was not only toying with him, but he was goading Robin to fight recklessly, carelessly. Needless to say, it was working quite well.

"You've gotten quite sloppy Robin; perhaps it's good I've come to take you back now, hmm?"

"You've got a lot of nerve Slade, but it's going to take a lot more than cheap shots and sneaky attacks to take me down."

"Of course Robin, that's why you're my apprentice."

"SHUT UP!" Robin screamed, eyes burning with rage. Inwardly Slade smiled, both delighted and disappointed at the effect of those words. Yes, Robin was getting sloppy and predictable, but it burned him inside to see him goaded to such a way so quickly. Robin charged once again, jabbing both rods out to meet Slade. All things considered, he did not expect this. Slade tried to dodge, but caught one rod in his ribs. The blow stung, and he soon found himself back on the defensive.

Slade deflected the blows with a disappointing sense of ease, and soon found the opening he had been waiting for, sliding beneath one hi-aimed blow, and taking Robin's knees out from under him. Robin hit dirt, and quickly went to push himself up before the blunt end of a pole pressed into the back of his neck, driving him into the ground.

"Robin, this is almost child's play. We have so much to cover, you and I."

"HEY!" A voice yelled, distracting Slade's attention. Seconds later a robot collided with the masked man, sending both flying backwards. "Dude, you better not forget about us!' Beast Boy yelled, coming to Robin's rescue.

Slade was now, officially, angry. After all, he wholly expected Robin to come alone, which he did not. Smart on his part, but not good enough. He completely expected a better fight from the boy, which he lacked quite a lot. But now the changeling had delivered the surprise blow, something he had been waiting for Robin to do. He would have to pay dearly for his choice.

Slade reached to his belt, and pulled out a specialized disk. Cyborg and Beast Boy had cleaned his robot army with relative ease, and had turned the scales back towards the side of good. Too bad Slade had expected something along the lines of this to happen. Pushing to his feet, he let the three come to him before he hurled the disk.

It landed right on Cyborg's chest, and a heartbeat later Cyborg was screaming in pain as the disk electrified, and began draining his battery. The other two titans turned to their screaming ally, and watched as his circuitry went grey, and his battery deplete itself completely. A second later and Cyborg fell to the ground

"Too easy." Slade muttered, as Beast Boy turned back to the offensive. He leapt recklessly at Slade, throwing up a falling kick towards the villain. Slade grabbed the boy's foot, and pulled him towards the ground, delivering a sickening right hand to his face. Beast Boy hit the ground with a thud, and soon found his arm lifted up by Slade, a devilish fire burning in his eye.

"Robin, I grow tired of this. I'll make this very clear now. We can either leave now, peacefully, or I'll start breaking his bones, one by one." Slade growled, gesturing towards the dizzy Beast Boy. Slade saw the effect on Robin's face perfectly. He contorted with thought, and grimaced in a sickening combination of concern and leadership.

That and he waited too long for Slade's preference. Robin's ears soon deviated from the silence of thought to the sickening crack of Beast Boy's arm, as Slade sent on palm strike to it. The bone broke with a magnificent sound, but not nearly as good a sound as the scream of pain from the changeling.

"Do you hear that Robin? You can stop this right now and you know exactly how."

Robin gritted his teeth as he watched Beast Boy rive in agony. Robin had gone through broken limbs before, and had regrettably become accustomed towards the pain to a degree. Beast Boy was in no means a pain tolerant individual. And of course, Slade was no man of patience when it came to decisions and decision making.

Which was displayed by a disgusting pop as Slade pulled Beast Boy's arm from its socket. Robin cringe as another scream escaped the changeling. Slade almost had to fight to suppress the laugh, as he watched Beast Boy begin to cry in agony.

"A good placed kick to his elbow, Robin, and this arm is useless for the rest of his life. Is that truly what you want?" Slade mocked, twisting the arm to draw out more squeals of agony from the Titan. The more he twisted, the louder and more pained the screams. And with every increase in volume, every degree of added pain, Robin's face became more and more desperate.

"Fine then Robin. Just don't forget that this is your fault." Slade mocked, as he placed his foot to the elbow, and began to push slowly. Beast Boy's voice was cracking beautifully as the pressure increased, and Slade knew as a matter of fact that his elbow would soon break under the pressure.

"STOP!" Robin screamed, dropping the rods. Slade looked back up at the boy, not pulling the foot away, but ceasing the pressure. Slade watched with glee in his eye has Robin admitted defeat. "I'll go, just stop hurting him please."

"Drop the utility belt, and all weapons on you Robin, and then I'll let go." Slade commanded, delivering on severe twist to the forearm, drawing yet another pleasurable scream out of Beast Boy's mouth.

Robin grimaced once again, as he removed the belt from his waist, and tossed it to the ground. "Alright Slade, there. Let him go."

Slade smiled behind the mask as he watched the belt fall. Slowly, he trailed a hand to his own belt, and pulled out a pair of white pills, tossing them towards Robin. "Swallow these, and I'll drop his arm."

"No!" Beast Boy yelled as best as he could, drawing attention to him. "Don't do it Robin! DON'T YOU DARE DO IT!"

His reward was another sharp twist of the arm, drawing more screams of agony and more tears of pain. Robin gave a disgruntled squeal, before picking the pills up and swallowing them. A second later and the boy was out like a light, deep in slumber. Unceremoniously, Slade tossed the destroyed arm at the ground, rewarded with a cry of pain as it bounced off it. He walked over to Robin, picking him up and tossing him over his shoulder, before walking off. He had won, like he knew he would, and behind him he left two pathetic excuses of heroes in his wake, one completely off-line, the other riving in agony.

But still conscious. "YOU JERK SLADE! GIVE HIM BACK!" Beast Boy yelled, in-between pained breaths as he tried his best to get to his feet. "DON'T TAKE HIM AWAY AGAIN!"

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Insaneiac: Ugh…stupid piece of trash computer… only 1 month until my laptop, only 1 month. Well, up until the battle it was Alexnandru writing, but the fight was all me. So was the Beast Boy torture session, which killed me inside to write. Anyways enjoy it. I'm going to go exorcise my keyboard from the evil demons that are possessing it.


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